Steve Smith (Panthers) Heard Rumors He Could Be Traded

Steve Smith (Panthers) heard rumors that he may be traded. Unless you live under a rock, you know that the trade deadline has passed, and he is still a member of the Carolina Panthers.

Well, he's at least on the roster, according to him.

You may recall an article written by my colleague a few days ago about this same Steve Smith who is, as the article says, "nothing but a big baby."

With this thinking, a trade may not have been such a bad thing for the Carolina Panthers to pursue.

Smith apparently no longer sees himself as an asset to the team, and quite frankly, once your head is out of it, you watch the on the field play dwindle away.

The small, yet feisty, receiver has been argued by many to be the best receiver in the NFL pound for pound, and he has the stats to back it up.

He's gone over 1,000 yards receiving in each of his past 5 seasons excluding 2004 due to injury, while also putting up at least six scores including a 12 touchdown explosion in 2005.

But those type of stats are stats of the past if his recent performances continue.

Smith is on pace for only just over 800 yards and he has yet to reach the endzone in 2009. The current quarterback situation doesn't help this any.

He's becoming the typical "me" receiver we're seeing these days. Not the Chad Ochocinco fun loving kind, but the bad kind.

The kind that will shut down if he doesn't get enough action. This will only hurt the team.

The route running will cease to exist at a high, and hard effort level. There will be no blocking for the two stud running backs the Panthers possess. It's all downhill from here.

As would be expected with a situation such as this, Panthers GM Marty Hurney said that no trades were ever discussed involving Smith.

The textbook response. Why would he make matters worse by giving Steve Smith more of a reason to feel like an outcast in Carolina?

At this point it's all a guessing game and a slew of "what-if's", but it sure makes you wonder if the Panthers would be better off without such a headcase roaming around the locker room?